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reason_n doctrine_n method_n use_v 6,868 5 9.9046 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A56654 A discourse of profiting by sermons and of going to hear where men think they can profit most Patrick, Simon, 1626-1707. 1683 (1683) Wing P790; ESTC R11883 20,690 35

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in_o our_o church_n so_o full_o solid_o and_o judicious_o handle_v that_o man_n need_v go_v no_o whether_o else_o for_o edification_n if_o that_o be_v the_o thing_n they_o true_o desire_v and_o sincere_o seek_v and_o endeavour_v for_o what_o truth_n can_v they_o learn_v any_o where_o else_o which_o be_v not_o to_o be_v learn_v if_o they_o will_v attend_v upon_o god_n service_n there_o in_o our_o church_n what_o motive_n to_o believe_v or_o what_o argument_n to_o convince_v man_n of_o their_o duty_n which_o be_v not_o there_o represent_v and_o press_v what_o vice_n be_v there_o which_o do_v not_o there_o receive_v just_a correction_n what_o virtue_n that_o be_v not_o there_o most_o strong_o recommend_v which_o of_o the_o promise_n be_v not_o there_o apply_v to_o the_o heart_n of_o the_o faithful_a and_o where_o can_v man_n have_v better_a mean_n of_o know_v the_o terror_n of_o the_o lord_n as_o the_o apostle_n speak_v against_o all_o the_o impenitent_a and_o disobedient_a and_o if_o man_n can_v profit_v where_o such_o thing_n as_o these_o be_v constant_o manage_v to_o as_o much_o advantage_n as_o the_o skill_n of_o the_o preacher_n will_v enable_v he_o i_o be_o sure_a the_o fault_n must_v lie_v somewhere_o else_o than_o in_o the_o matter_n of_o the_o sermon_n ii_o yes_o will_v some_o say_v we_o allow_v the_o matter_n of_o they_o to_o be_v good_a enough_o but_o the_o manner_n of_o they_o be_v such_o that_o we_o can_v reap_v the_o like_a benefit_n by_o they_o that_o we_o do_v by_o other_o man_n preach_v who_o can_v conform_v to_o the_o church_n of_o england_n which_o if_o it_o be_v a_o just_a exception_n the_o fault_n must_v lie_v either_o in_o the_o composition_n of_o they_o or_o in_o their_o delivery_n after_o they_o be_v compose_v 1._o now_o if_o the_o composition_n of_o they_o be_v faulty_a it_o be_v because_o their_o method_n be_v not_o clear_a and_o perspicuous_a or_o the_o language_n not_o plain_a enough_o to_o convey_v the_o sense_n of_o they_o to_o the_o 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themselves_o mere_o with_o believe_v but_o be_v so_o affect_v with_o it_o that_o they_o attain_v the_o end_n of_o their_o faith_n which_o ought_v to_o work_v by_o love_n nay_o he_o will_v wish_v they_o to_o examine_v and_o prove_v their_o faith_n by_o this_o whether_o it_o be_v likely_a to_o save_v they_o or_o no._n for_o if_o it_o leave_v they_o short_a of_o this_o charity_n it_o will_v leave_v they_o short_a of_o heaven_n for_o it_o be_v charity_n alone_o that_o have_v any_o place_n there_o and_o who_o will_v forbear_v most_o pathetical_a entreaty_n here_o to_o be_v very_o serious_a in_o this_o search_n there_o be_v so_o much_o pretence_n to_o faith_n in_o the_o world_n and_o so_o little_a charity_n to_o be_v find_v there_o to_o one_o sort_n of_o faith_n especial_o which_o be_v the_o apprehension_n of_o christ_n merit_n and_o application_n of_o they_o to_o themselves_o which_o every_o body_n make_v bold_a withal_o whilst_o very_o few_o have_v any_o thing_n of_o that_o charity_n which_o st._n paul_n describe_v in_o the_o chapter_n before_o name_v of_o that_o long_a suffering_n and_o kind_a charity_n which_o envy_v not_o which_o vaunt_v not_o itself_o or_o be_v not_o rash_a be_v not_o puff_v up_o do_v not_o behave_v itself_o unseemly_a seek_v not_o her_o own_o be_v not_o easy_o provoke_v think_v no_o evil_a but_z takes_z thing_n in_o the_o best_a sense_n and_o put_v the_o fair_a construction_n upon_o they_o in_o one_o word_n make_v a_o man_n inoffensive_a not_o only_o towards_o god_n but_o towards_o man_n of_o all_o sort_n high_a and_o low_a rich_a and_o poor_a that_o be_v to_o the_o whole_a church_n of_o god_n the_o like_a i_o may_v say_v of_o all_o other_o subject_n of_o the_o same_o nature_n which_o lead_v he_o that_o handle_v they_o into_o this_o method_n but_o sometime_o the_o matter_n to_o be_v treat_v of_o be_v such_o that_o there_o be_v no_o other_o reason_n to_o be_v give_v of_o it_o but_o only_o the_o divine_a revelation_n upon_o who_o testimony_n we_o receive_v it_o as_o we_o do_v that_o jesus_n christ_n be_v the_o eternal_a son_n of_o god_n beget_v of_o his_o father_n before_o all_o world_n the_o use_v of_o which_o i_o never_o hear_v any_o preacher_n among_o we_o fail_v to_o make_v both_o for_o the_o beget_n reverence_n towards_o he_o faith_n in_o he_o and_o obedience_n unto_o he_o but_o what_o need_n be_v there_o of_o so_o many_o word_n about_o this_o method_n of_o sermon_n when_o the_o ancient_a doctor_n of_o religion_n it_o be_v munife_a do_v not_o mind_v it_o nor_o any_o other_o but_o speak_v to_o the_o business_n before_o they_o without_o observe_v any_o constant_a rule_n at_o all_o in_o their_o discourse_n and_o then_o it_o be_v apparent_a people_n profit_v by_o sermon_n much_o more_o than_o they_o do_v now_o when_o they_o be_v most_o artificial_o contrive_v and_o it_o will_v be_v a_o inexcusable_a sin_n in_o those_o that_o shall_v leave_v our_o church_n do_v the_o minister_n of_o it_o only_o open_v the_o sense_n of_o the_o epistle_n or_o the_o gospel_n for_o the_o day_n or_o any_o other_o portion_n of_o holy_a scripture_n as_o st._n chrysostom_n be_v wont_a to_o do_v without_o make_v particular_a observation_n or_o conclude_v all_o with_o distinct_a uses_n as_o the_o manner_n now_o be_v but_o only_o with_o a_o general_a application_n press_v what_o they_o think_v most_o material_a or_o what_o the_o necessity_n of_o their_o people_n most_o require_v by_o which_o way_n of_o preach_v if_o man_n can_v receive_v no_o profit_n they_o must_v lay_v the_o blame_v somewhere_o else_o than_o upon_o the_o composition_n of_o the_o sermon_n or_o the_o manner_n of_o its_o delivery_n either_o which_o be_v the_o next_o thing_n to_o be_v consider_v 2._o now_o here_o two_o thing_n be_v find_v fault_n withal_o first_o that_o our_o preacher_n be_v not_o vehement_a enough_o in_o the_o delivery_n of_o their_o sermon_n second_o that_o they_o read_v they_o for_o the_o former_a of_o these_o it_o be_v not_o true_a where_o 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to_o have_v come_v better_o prepare_v with_o honest_a and_o good_a heart_n to_o hear_v his_o word_n and_o therefore_o have_v reason_n to_o consider_v in_o your_o present_a case_n that_o since_o the_o most_o profitable_a sermon_n that_o ever_o be_v make_v can_v do_v no_o good_a unless_o man_n be_v dispose_v to_o profit_v by_o they_o whether_o the_o unprofitableness_n you_o complain_v of_o under_o our_o ministry_n do_v not_o arise_v rather_o for_o want_v of_o what_o you_o ought_v to_o do_v to_o make_v the_o most_o excellent_a sermon_n profitable_a then_o from_o any_o defect_n in_o their_o ministry_n judge_v now_o i_o say_v upon_o the_o whole_a if_o you_o can_v profit_v by_o the_o public_a ministry_n where_o be_v it_o most_o reasonable_a to_o think_v the_o cause_n of_o this_o unprofitableness_n lie_v whether_o to_o suspect_v the_o cause_n may_v lie_v in_o yourselves_o or_o to_o impute_v it_o to_o their_o sermon_n and_o conclude_v they_o to_o be_v unedifying_a pronounce_v i_o beseech_v 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